Acariformes

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Acariformes
Temporal range: Devonian–present
Trombidium holosericeum
(Trombidiformes: Trombidiidae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Superorder: Acariformes
Zakhvatkin, 1952
Clades and orders

The Acariformes, also known as the Actinotrichida, are the more diverse of the two superorders of

undescribed species
.

Systematics and taxonomy

The Acariformes can be divided into two main

monophyletic.[1] The superfamily Eriophyoidea, traditionally considered members of the Trombidiformes, have been found to be basal mites in genomic analyses, sister to the clade containing Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes.[2]

Another group often mentioned is the Actinedida, but in treatments like the present one, this is split up between the Sarcoptiformes (and formerly the separate Endeostigmata) and Trombidiformes (which contains the bulk of the "Actinedida"), because it appears to be a massively paraphyletic "

dichotomous phylogenies. Consequently, it may be best for the time being to consider each of the three main prostigmatan lineages to be equally distinct from the other two.[3]

Fossil record

The oldest fossils of acariform mites are from the Rhynie Chert, Scotland, which dates to the early Devonian, around 410 million years ago[4][5] The Cretaceous Immensmaris chewbaccei had idiosoma of more than 8 mm (0.31 in) in length and was the largest fossil acariform mite and also the largest erythraeoid mite ever recorded.[6]

Diversity

The Sarcoptiformes ingest solid food, being mainly microherbivores, fungivores and detritivores. Some Astigmatina – the Psoroptidia – have become associated with vertebrates and nest-building insects. These include the well known house dust mites, scab mites and mange mites, stored product mites, feather mites and some fur mites. The relationships between their main groups are not well-resolved and subject to revision. In particular it appears as if the Oribatida need to be split up in two, as the Astigmatina are closer to some of them (e.g. certain Desmonomata) than the latter are to other "Oribatida".

The Trombidiformes are most noted for the economic damage caused by many

Acari are trombidiformans, such as spider mites (Tetranychidae) and Eriophyidae. Many species are also predators, fungivores, and animal parasites. Some of the most conspicuous species of free-living mites are the relatively large and bright red velvet mites, that belong to the family Trombidiidae
.

Oribatid mites and to a much lesser extent others are a source of alkaloids in poison frogs (namely small species like the strawberry poison-dart frog Oophaga pumilio). Such frogs raised without these oribatids in their diets do not develop the strong poisons associated with them in the wild.[7]

Parthenogenesis

Acariformes species appear to have evolved from a sexual ancestor and the primary manner of reproduction during the course of evolution has been sexual reproduction.[8] However, within the super order Acariformes, parthenogenetic species have arisen numerous times during the course of evolution.[8] In contrast to the commonly held view that parthenogenetic lineages are short lived, four species-rich parthenogenetic clusters of the order Oribatida are very ancient and likely arose 400-300 million years ago.[8] In some parthenogenetic species that undergo automixis (a kind of self-fertilization that retains meiosis) sexual reproduction has re-emerged.

Examples

Lorryia formosa (Trombidiformes: Tydeidae)

Eriophyidae, plant parasites, e.g. Acalitus essigi (redberry mite)

Sarcoptiformes
Trombidiformes

References

  1. ^ a b Heather Proctor (August 9, 1998). "Acariformes. The "mite-like" mites". Tree of Life Web Project. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
  2. PMID 31670799
    .
  3. ^ a b Heather Proctor (August 9, 1998). "Trombidiformes. Trombidiform mites". Tree of Life Web Project. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
  4. PMID 29254958
    .
  5. S2CID 92357151
    .
  6. ^ J. A. Dunlop, K. Frahnert, and J. Makol. 2018. A giant mite in Cretaceous Burmese amber. Fossil Record 21:285-290
  7. PMID 17502597
    .
  8. ^
    PMID 33437432
    .

Further reading
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